April 8, 2009
Official Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Site
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech seniors Alade Aminu and Lewis Clinch have been selected to participate in the 57th annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (P.I.T.) this week in Portsmouth, Virginia. The 2009 seniors are two of just 64 college basketball players (seniors) from across the nation invited to participate in a four-day, twelve game tournament in front of representatives from every NBA team and numerous international leagues.
Aminu, from Stone Mountain, Ga., and Clinch, from Cordele, Ga., completed their eligibility for the Yellow Jackets last winter. Aminu, a 6-10 forward, was Tech’s third-leading scorer (11.8 points per game) and second-leading rebounder (8.0 per game), while Clinch led the Jackets in scoring (15.5 ppg) and became the Institute’s 38th 1,000-point scorer for his career.
Aminu is playing for the Norfolk Naval Shipyard team, while Clinch is suiting up for the Tidewater Sealants in the event which begins today and runs through Saturday. For more information, go to the official P.I.T. site.
Aminu put together the best year of his career at Tech during the 2008-09 season, finishing seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rebounding and fifth in field goal percentage (52.2 pct.). Clinch ranked 14th in the ACC in scoring average, and concluded his career by scoring 20 or more points in six of his last seven games, including 32 against Clemson and 25 against Florida State in the ACC Tournament. Clinch also drained 41 three-point field goals in that stretch, more than doubling his season total.
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament is the oldest amateur basketball tournament in the United States and the only postseason camp conducted for the top NCAA seniors only. Now in its 57th year, the P.I.T. is recognized by NBA and European scouts as the premier showcase for future professional players. The event is the only tournament for college seniors to participate in and be evaluated by the National Basketball Association prior to the league’s pre-draft camp in Orlando.
Anthony Morrow, who finished his eligibility at Tech in 2008, began his pro career by appearing in the P.I.T. last year and made the roster for the Golden State Warriors as a free agent. Morrow has played in 62 games for the Warriors, averaging 9.6 points while shooting 48.6 percent from the floor.